英语长句,特点和分析方法
复合长句即包含各种语法关系和特殊句型的句子。英语多长句,这是因为英语可以有后置定语。扩展的后置定语可以是带从句或长修饰语的复杂句。
长句在科技性的文体中的出现频率很高,因此也就成为研究生英语考试的重点。通过对近年来试题的分析,我们可以看出,所考的绝大多数都是长句。这些句子结构复杂,逻辑性强,翻译起来困难相当大。但是,无论多长的句子、多么复杂的结构,它们都是由一些基本的成分组成的。只要弄清英语原文的句法结构,出整个句子的中心内容及其各层意思,然后分析各层意思之间的逻辑关系,再按汉语的特点和表达方式就可以译出原文了。在长句的英译汉实践中,我们始终应记住英汉在句法结构上的差异,不必拘泥于形式。
61.什么是英语长句?
英语长句一般指的是各种复杂句,复杂句里可能有多个从句,从句与从句之间的关系可能包孕、嵌套,也可能并列,平行。所以翻译长句,实际上我们的重点主要放在对各种从句的翻译上。从功能来说,英语有三大复合句,即:①名词性从句,包括主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同位语从句;②形容词性从句,即我们平常所说的定语从句;③状语从句。
62.英语长句的特点是什么?
一般说来,英语长句有如下几个特点:
1)结构复杂,逻辑层次多;
2)常须根据上下文作词义的引申;
3)常须根据上下文对指代词的指代关系做出判断;
4)并列成分多;
5)修饰语多,特别是后置定语很长;
6)习惯搭配和成语经常出现。
63.英语长句的分析方法是什么?
1)出全句的主语、谓语和宾语,即句子的主干结构;
2)出句中所有的谓语结构、非谓语结构、介词短语和从句的引导词;
3)分析从句和短语的功能,例如,是否为主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句或状语从句等;以及词,短语和从句之间的关系;
4)分析句子中是否有固定词组或固定搭配、插入语等其他成分。长句翻译的步骤举例:
经典例题470
In Africa I met a boy,who was crying as if his heart would break and said,when I spoke to him,that he was hungry because he had had no food for two days.
分析:第一,拆分句子:这个长句可以拆分为四段:In Africa I met a boy/who was crying as if his heart would break/when I spoke to him,that he was hungry because/he had had no food for two days.
第二,句子的结构分析:(1)主干结构是主语+过去式+宾语:I met 。(2)crying后面是壮语从句as if his heart would break。(3)when I spoke t
o him是介于said和that he was hungry because之间的插入语。
第三,难点部分的处理:crying as if his heart would break应译为哭得伤心极了。
参考译文在非洲,我遇到一个小孩,他哭得伤心极了,我问他时,他说他饿了,两天没有吃饭了。
一般来说,长句的翻译有顺序法、逆序法、分译法和综合法四种。现将各种方法
举例说明如下:
64.怎样用顺序法来翻译长句?
有些英语长句叙述的一连串动作按发生的时间先后安排,或按逻辑关系安排,与汉语的表达方式比较一致,可按原文顺序译出。例如:
经典例题471 To fuse atoms together on earth requires much higher temperature than in the sun in order to compensate for the lack of the sun's crushing gravitational pressure.
分析:按意的关系,该句可以拆分为三部分:To fuse atoms together on earth/requires much higher temperature than in the sun/in order to compensate for the lack of the sun's crushing gravitational pressure.上述三层意思的逻辑关系以及表达顺序基本上与汉语一致,只是第二部分里形容词的比较级根据汉语的表达习惯把in the sun前置。
参考译文在地球上把原子熔聚在一起,要求比太阳内的温度高的多的温度,以补偿它所缺少的在太阳内的起决定性作用的引力。
经典例题472 Combined with digital television sets,videodiscs can not only present films but also offer surround sound which provides theatre quality-amazing reality by which the viewers may have an
illusion that they were at the scene and witnessed everything happening just around them.
分析:按意的关系,该句可以拆分为五部分:Combined with digital television sets/videodiscs can not only present films but also offer surround sound/which provides theatre quality-amazing reality/by which the viewers may have an illusion/that they were at the scene and witnessed everything happening just around them.除了必要的增减词,原文各句的逻辑关系,表达次序与汉语基本一致,因此可以按原文译出。
参考译文与数字式电视机相结合,图像光盘不仅可以演电影,还提供环境声音,产生电影院效果---令人吃惊的真实感,使观看者产生一种错觉,以为他们在现场目睹他们周围发生的一切。
65.怎样用逆序法来翻译长句?
逆序法又称倒置法,主要指句子的前后倒置问题。有些英语长句的表达次序与汉语习惯不同,甚至语序完全相反,这就必须从原文的后面译起,逆着原文的顺序翻译。考研英语中这样的例子很多,许多句子都需要作这样的调整。逆序法在长句的翻译中,我们可根据不同的情况按意进行全部逆序或部分逆序。例如:
经典例题473 There are many wonderful stories
to tell about the places I visited and the people I met.分析:该句可以拆分为三部分:There are many wonderful stories to tell about/the places I visited/the people I met.这句英语长句的叙述层次与汉语逻辑相反,所以采用逆译法。
参考译文我访问了一些地方,遇到不少人,要谈起来,奇妙的事可多着呢。
经典例题474 There was little hope of continuing my inquiries after dark to any useful purpose in a neighborhood that was strange to me.
分析:该句可分为三部分:There was little hope/continuing my inquiries after dark to any useful purpose/in a neighborhood that was strange to me.
第一、二层次是表示结果,第三层次表示原因,按照中文的表达习惯,常把原因放在结果前面。这句英语长句的叙述层次与汉语逻辑相反,因此要打破原句的结构,按照汉语造句的规律重新加以安排。参考译文这一带我不熟悉,天黑以后继续进行调查,取得结果的希望不大。
66.怎样用分译法来翻译长句?
分译法又叫拆译法,有些英语长句的主句与从句或主句与修饰语间的关系并不十分密切,可把长句中的从句或短语化为句子分开来叙述,这符合汉语多用短句的习惯。为使意思连贯,有时还可适当增加词
语。考生必须注意的是,分译的目的是化长为短、化整为零,消除译文的阻塞;分译后的译文必须连贯,有整体感。例如:
经典例题475 He became deaf at five after an attack of typhoid fever.
分析:这个英语句子,有两个介词短语,代表两层意思,表示什么时候,生了什么病。翻译时打破原句的结构,按汉语造句的规律重新安排。
参考译文他五岁的时候,生了一场伤寒病,变成了聋子。
经典例题476 I was on my way home from tramping about the streets,my drawings under my arm,when I found myself in front of the Mathews Gallery.
分析:这句英语长句的叙述层次与汉语逻辑相反,因此要打破原句的结构,按照汉语造句的规律重新加以安排。
四级阅读理解难,难在长难句。如何破解长难句,是做好四级阅读理解的关键一环。破解长难句通常采用方法是准主谓宾去除定状补,笔者认为,抓住长难句特点进行庖丁解牛是破解四级阅读理解长难句的又一制胜法宝。
四级阅读理解长难句有以下六大特点:
1、 主语拉长
一般来讲,汉语主语比较简短。相比之下,英语中主语一旦拉长,就会增加读者的理解难度。
解决方法:有效分解主谓成分,断开之后各个击破。例如:
The streams, lakes, meadows(草地), mountain ridges and foreststhatmake the Poconos an ideal place for balck bears have alsoattractedmore people to the region. (2005.6)
首先,把原句子分解为两个简单独立的句子
:
(1)The streams, lakes, meadows(草地), mountain ridges andforeststhat make the Poconos an ideal place forbalckbears溪流、湖泊、草地、山脉、森林,使得Pocono成为黑熊理想的栖息地
(2)have also attracted more people to theregion.吸引了越来越多的人们来到这里。
其次,句子整合翻译:
溪流、湖泊、草地、山脉、森林,这些不仅使得Pocono成为黑熊理想的栖息地,而且吸引了越来越多
的人们来到这里。
2、分词短语打头,句子呈现三段(或三段以上)的长句式
分词短语(包括现在分词和过去分词)做状语,这一句式比较常见,读者阅读时由于要区分短语和主语之间的逻辑关系,所以理解上有难度。并且分词短语本身往往由于掺入了插入语成分,理解上就更为困难。
解决方法:理清主动和被动关系。一般来说现在分词与主语之间是主动关系;而过去分词与主语之间是被动关系。
例如:
Operating out of a century-old schoolhouse inthevillage of Long Pond, Pennsylvanis, the Conservancy's Bud Cook is working withlocalpeople and business leaders to balance economicgrowthenvironmental protection. (2005.6)
翻译:
在宾西法尼亚州的朗庞德村庄有一栋上百年历史的校舍,大自然保护协会的成员巴德-库克就在这里办公,他与当地人民和商业领导合作,以努力平衡好经济发展与环境保护之间的关系。
注意:介词短语位于句首类似分词短语形式。例如:
In a time of low academic achievement by children intheUnited States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of highacademicachievement and economic success, for possibleanswers.(2005.1)
翻译:
有一段时间,美国的儿童学业表现不尽如人意,许多人于是转向日本,想从中寻求可能的解决办法,因为日本不仅经济实力强,而且学术成就也很高。
特别注意不定式to
位于句首表目的,一定是考试重点。例如:
原文:To prepare children for successful careers infirstgrade and beyond,
Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, andmathematics,but rather skills such as persistence, concentration,and theability to n as a mr of a group. (2005.1)
翻译:为了使孩子能在一年级和以后有良好的表现,日本的学校并不教授阅读、写作、和算数,而是教孩子们诸如毅力、注意力和体合作能力等技巧。
考题:
In Japan's preshcool education, the focus is on
A. preparing children academically B. developingchildren'sartistic interests
C. tapping children's potential D. shapingchildren'scharacter
3、多个谓语动词连用
简单句之所以简单是因为成
分单一便于读者理解。而四级阅读理解中,出题人为增加阅读难度,就会把几个谓语动词放在一个句子当中。但是无论局势如何变化,英语句子本身就犹如一棵大树,只能有一个主干起支撑作用,其他起辅助作用。
解决方法:遇到多个谓语动词连用情况要分清主句谓语动词和从句的谓语动词。剔除细枝末节之后,句子也就好理解了。例如:
Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all spellmisery,but being able to tell if the cause is a cold or flu(流感) maymake adifference in how long the misery lasts. (2005.1)
解析:
此句是由but引导的并列句。前面一句话容易理解,谓语动词是spell,关键看后一句话。but引导的句子黑体下划线是主语,该句子真正谓语动词是maymake,如下面所示:
but being able to tell if the cause is a cold or flu(流感) may make a difference inhowlong the misery lasts.
翻译:
喉咙发痒、鼻塞、浑身酸痛都令人痛苦,但是能够确定造成这种痛苦的根源是普通感冒还是流感,对这种痛苦能折磨你多就会起关键作用。
4、举例作为插入语(显著词such as; for example; including etc.)
插入语主要起补充或说明的作用,我们在进行快速阅读的时候通常会把它省略,即忽略不看。但是,笔者在这里要提出的一点是,如果根据文章问题回原文定位句子时,如果定位的关键句子包含了以上插入语中的任何一种形式,则答案往往就在此处。例如:
原文:Finally, other people may give us instrumental support-financial aid, material resources, and needed services-that reduces stress by helping us resolve and cope with our problems.? 考题: Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of? A. instrumental support B. informational support? C. social companionship D. the strengthening of self-respect? (1) Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy throat typically develop gradually, and adults and teens often do not get a fever. (2005.1)
翻译:普通感冒患者的一些典型症状,如鼻塞、流鼻涕、喉咙发痒,发作比较缓慢,成人和青少年患者一般不会有发热症状。
(2)And in general, flu symptoms including fever and chills, sore throat and body aches come on suddenly and are more severe than cold symptoms. (2005.1)
翻译:一般来说,流感症状包括发烧、发冷、喉咙发痒、浑身疼痛,比普通感冒的症状来得突然和猛烈。? ☆注意:举例有时可以换成短语,如介词短语、不定式短语等等;还可以换成有两个破折号引起的插入语成分。例如:? It is 37 years later. Stokoe-now devoting his time to writing and editing books and jounals and to producing video m
aterials on ASL and deaf culture-is having lunch at a café near the Gallaudet campus and explaining h
ow he started a revolution.(2004.6)
时间过了37年。现在Stoloe致力于撰写和编辑关于美国手语和聋哑人文化的书籍和杂志,以及制作相关的录像材料。
5、并列句连用使得句子变长(主谓宾都可以并列)
并列句是四级阅读理解中的主要句式。出题人会把几个成分相同的并列句子,通过剔除多余成分从而使其合并为一个很长的句子。
解决方法:破解这样句子的关键是要弄清楚两个句子的逻辑关系,补全成分后重新还原为几个单独的句子即可。例如:
To make matters worse for the government, it soon emerged that the Princess's trip had been approved by the Foreign Office, and that she was in fact very well-informed about both the situation in Angola and the British government's policy regarding landmines. (2004.6)
翻译:对政府来说,更糟糕的是,不久得知的消息是,王妃的安哥拉之行得到过外事办的批准,并且她事实上非常了解安哥拉的形势和英国政府关于地雷的政策。
相当于拆分成三个句子:
(1) To make matters worse for the government? (2) It soon emerged that the Princess's trip had been approved by the Foreign Office.? (3) It soon emerged that she was in fact very well-informed about both the situation in Angola and the British government's policy regarding landmines.
6、多重复合句叠加
所谓多重复合句叠加,就是说一个长句子当中可能包含了好几种句式(并列的定语从句、状语从句、介词短语等等)。resolve的名词形式
解决方法:分清主从句,理清句子逻辑关系至关重要。通常采用图表法。例如:? (1)Then there is the general, all covering apology, which avoids the necessity of identifying a specific act that was particularly hurtful or insulting, and which the person who is apologizing should promise never to do again. (2006.1)
结构图:
★①--☆①
○--○--
★②--☆②
? 说明:
○--○=then there is the general, all covering apology
★①=which avoids the necessity of identifying a specific act
? ★②= and which the person should promise never to do again
☆①= that was particularly hurtful or insulting
☆②= Who is apologizing
显然,原句子是由有there be引导做主句,后面跟了两个which 引导的定语从句,两者是并列的。比较特殊的是which定语从句中有各自有一个定语从句,像是一个连环套。
分解为以下几个句子:
1.Then there is the general, all covering apology
2.Which avoids the necessity of identifying a specific act
3.That was particularly hurtful or insulting
4.And which the pers
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